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The Cheapest, Healthiest Takeout Foods for New Graduates

As a college student, you may have depended on your meal plan at the dorms—or maybe you were on a strict food budget (thanks, tuition!) that meant subsisting on stuff like microwave popcorn and ramen. Lots and lots of ramen.

But if you've just graduated, that means you're striking out on your own. So what's that mean for you, foodwise? Well, according to Seamless (a mobile and online service for ordering delivery and takeout from restaurants in the U.S. and U.K.), the healthiest meal for a new grad on a budget is: Indian food!

Today, Seamless released its Graduation Index, which evaluated 25 cuisine types based on their nutritional value, price, and leftover potential. The other food types in the top five? In order: American, Chinese, Mediterranean, and Mexican.

Obviously, there are plenty of not-so-healthy foods from each one of these types of cuisine, so ordering the right stuff is important. Many Indian dishes are made with heavy sauces and lots of ghee—clarified butter—but there are some really yummy, healthy dishes too. Tandoori chicken is marinated in yogurt and a blend of spices, then grilled in a clay oven; with 260 calories, 13g fat, and 31g protein, it's a pretty healthy choice (and tastes fantastic the next day). Another good choice: chana masala, made with chickpeas and spices (the entree is 243 calories, 4.5g fat, 9g fiber, and 9g protein).

When you're trying to save money, what kinds of foods do you eat? Do you ever do takeout when you're on a budget?